Circus of Life
by Candles In The Snow
Summary: Allen, Lenalee, Kanda and Lavi are sent on a mission to the famous "La Cirque de la Vie," - the Circus of Life. There, there is an Innocence cube that sends people back in time for a set amount of time, where the Innocence lies. The four find themselves almost ten years in the past, becoming part of the traveling circus while seeking out the Innocence - and just who, is Red?


_**Hey guys! Snowy here with another story! This one is a side-story to "**_ **Grave Mistake _" But it can also be read as a stand-alone! So, whichever you choose to read it as is up to you!_  
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 ** _I won't be around to write this weekend, so it's going to be a couple of weeks before this and "_ Grave Mistake _" update! Sorry about that! But I do hope you all enjoy the first chapter of_ "Circus of Life" _!_  
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 ** _See you soon!_**

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 _ **I don't own DGM, if I did, Red would've had a better time at the circus!**_

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"So our next mission is at a circus?" the green-haired teenage girl asked, leafing through the packet she had picked up curiously. Her fellow Exorcists were also flipping through theirs, curious gazes on every one (even though Kanda didn't show it.)

Her older brother nodded. "Yes. It seems similar to Miranda's Time Record, and what it did to the town, but in this case the manner of time is very different," Komui said. At seeing the confused looks on the Exorcist's faces, he explained, "It seems like the Innocence creates a portal back in time. The person whose traveled back in time stays there for a month at most, a week at least. Everybody and every Finder we've sent to investigate has reported that none of those who are still with the circus from when they've traveled don't recall them, and once a Finder went back into the portal and stayed the same amount of time as before, and nobody remembered him. We've also been told that Akuma are starting to be drawn to the area in the present."

It was the redhead Exorcist who spoke first after that, "Where is the portal located?"

Komui shook his head, a frown on his lips. "Nobody knows exactly. It seems to pop up at random intervals. That's why we're sending the four of you."

"Better chances at one of us finding the portal and securing the Innocence from the past." Lavi nodded in understanding, his lone green eye turning its gaze back to the packet as he read it over curiously. "How are we going to find the Innocence without anybody besides the ringmaster knowing we're there?" he asked.

"You're going to be part of the circus, of course!" Komui replied cheerfully, before turning to the white-haired Exorcist. "Any suggestions, Allen?" He frowned faintly at the vacant expression on the other's face. "Allen?"

"Hmm?" Allen jerked in surprise. "Oh, sorry." He smiled apologetically. "Did you ask something, Komui?"

"Yes. I was wondering if you had any suggestions as to what acts each of you should have in the circus."

"Why are you asking the Moyashi?" Kanda cut in, eyebrows furrowed while Lenalee's eyes widened in understanding as she remembered something Allen had told her almost a year ago.

"That's right! You used to work for a circus, didn't you?"

"Allen did?" Lavi piped in, curious. "How come you've never mentioned this before, shortstack?"

Allen shrugged, his smile a bit uncomfortably. "I don't really like discussing my past," he explained. "Before and after Master Cross."

"Understandable," Lavi agreed, grimacing at the thought of the red-haired General. He honestly did not know how Allen could have stayed with Cross all those years and didn't go insane – sort of. Allen did have his 'Black Allen' side, after all.

"So, what do you think, Allen?" Komui pressed after a minute.

Allen pursed his lips thoughtfully, giving a quiet hum before deciding. "For Lenalee and Kanda, I believe they should be an act together, as Lena and Lee, sister and brother acrobats. Lenalee already flies through the air, and Kanda's got a lot of upper and lower body strength. It would suit them, I think. As for Lavi... Leo, he should be called Leo and what about a knife thrower?" Allen grinned. "A one-eyed knife thrower... we can say you lost your eye practicing, it might score you some bonus points with some of the other performers."

"And yourself?" Lenalee asked curiously. Allen had mentioned back in Germany that he had been a clown before, would he be this time? That idea was dashed as Allen answered.

"I think I'll be a magician."

"A magician? I thought you used to be a clown?" Lenalee asked. She shot Kanda an annoyed look when the older teen quietly snorted, a smirk tugging up the corners of his lips.

"I did," Allen agreed. "But back then they had a lot of clowns, no magician though. I'll be able to sneak around better than you three, thanks to the training Master gave me in magic. Not to mention that Illusions are my specialty."

Komui nodded, clapping his hands together as he smiled. "All right then! You've got your acts, you've got your names, now you just need to check in with the circus! They're currently staying in France for the week, the current Finder we have with them is Toma." He looked over at Allen and Kanda. "I'm certain he'll be happy to see you two again!"

Kanda merely "Che'd" while Allen smiled. Both Lavi and Lenalee noticed that it didn't quite reach his eyes, which still held a little bit of a vacant look, as if his thoughts were far away from the Command room right now.

"You'll leave after lunch and your train will be at one, so you four better hurry and go, it's almost noon now!"

* * *

"What was it like, Allen, working as a clown for the circus?" Lavi asked later, after the four had settled themselves comfortably in one of their train's first class compartments. His arm was slung around the white-haired Exorcist's shoulders, as the younger teen was sitting next to him (Lenalee and Kanda were sitting across, the latter giving a half-interested look at them while Lenalee was curious too.) and his lone eye was surveying the boy.

"It was... it was nice. My foster father and I moved from circus to circus a lot, we used to perform in the streets too," Allen recalled, not bothering to try and shrug off Lavi's arm. A faint smile adorned his lips as he continued, "Seeing kids laugh and smile, seeing adults amused, too... Being able to brighten one person's day made it great. I loved giving shows, seeing excited faces and hearing laughter..."

"But?" Lavi asked, sensing a but.

Allen's smile turned sad. "But that passed away when my foster father did, and when Master Cross picked me up. Master and I still traveled a lot, but it wasn't just around Europe, but the whole world. I gave up trying to be a clown, and instead worked on using my clown training as training for being an Exorcist. I'm more flexible than most people and I can balance myself on almost any kind of surface. The cartwheels I learned to entertain are now used to dodge attacks... I've changed a lot in six, seven years. It's going to be weird to be apart of a circus again."

"Yeah..." Lavi murmured, eyeing Allen thoughtfully. "I suppose it would be..." Deciding to pull Allen's thoughts away from his past, Lavi grinned and pulled out a deck of cards. "Hey, Allen, wanna play poker?"

* * *

"This is it!" Lavi grinned widely as he looked around several hours later (it was evening now) and several guineas lighter, watching as one group of people worked to set a tent up, and a few were over by the beasts' cages, feeding the lions and tigers. "C'mon, Yu!" He slung an arm around Kanda's shoulders. "Let's go check the animals out!"

"Get off of me, stupid Usagi, or I'll _feed_ you to them!" Kanda grumpily shoved Lavi away, causing the other teen to whine.

"It seems bigger than I thought, and busier," Lenalee murmured, stepping through the gate and looking around much like Lavi did. She sighed in resignation when Lavi began to bug Kanda. "Lavi! Behave!"

"Yes, Lena-lady!" Lavi smiled widely at her.

Shaking her head fondly, Lenalee noticed that Allen wasn't with them. "Al-" As she turned around, she noticed him staring up at the sign that hung high above, stating the circus' name. Brows furrowed in worry. "Allen..?" He seemed to be lost in thought (which was something he did often) but by the way his expression was blank, it didn't seem like good thoughts to her.

Just out of her earshot, Allen continued to stare up at the sign he knew oh so well, even if he hadn't seen it in years. "I cannot believe I'm here again... It has been so long," he murmured, smiling bitterly as he whispered, placing his hand against the cold pole of the sign, "Hello again, Le Cirque de la Vie – the Circus of Life."

The circus that had taken him in, the one where he had met Mana.

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 _ **And that is the chapter! I'm actually pleased with out it came out, I wasn't too certain about this one this time, but I think it went well, even if it is a little short! owo**_

 _ **I really hope you all enjoyed it!**_

 _ **Comments,**_ _ ** _ **criticism**_ , or just want to say what you liked about the chapter? Please leave a review! Reviews and constructive criticism helps keep me motivated! (All flames will be used to set my bonfires this summer, and roast marshmallows. Yum!) Liked what you read and want more? Please Follow and Favorite if you haven't!**_

 _ **I'll see you guys in a couple weeks! Until then,**_

 _ **~Snowy.**_


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